Red Bull denies Adrian Newey quit reports

First reported in the German press, it was claimed that Newey would leave the all-conquering F1 team because of the handling of accusations against Christian Horner.

According to Auto Motor und Sport and subsequently the BBC, Newey had grown unhappy with the internal power struggle within Red Bull.

It follows claims ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix that the 65-year-old was set to be taken off the F1 programme and focus solely on the RB17 hypercar project.

The inner workings of Red Bull Racing have been the subject of intense speculation in the opening months of the year, with two factions apparently developing: Horner in one and Helmut Marko, Newey, and the Verstappens (Max and Jos) in the other.

At times, that became especially bitter, personal, and public, but it has calmed down – at least publicly – in recent weeks.

Newey is Red Bull Racing's chief technical officer and oversees the development of the F1 car and the RB17 project.

He is the most successful designer in F1 history, having won titles with Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull Racing.

That is why Horner has worked hard to keep him on board, including setting up the road car project for him to scratch his creative itch.

With a new contract signed last year that will keep him at Red Bull Racing until the end of 2025, he remains a valuable investment not just for his input to Red Bull but also in ensuring he's unavailable for rivals.

As a result, he commands a hefty pay packet, thought to top USD $10 million.

However, it's been claimed in some corners that Newey has been unsure about his future with Red Bull for some time, and tensions are growing between him and Horner.

It has been suggested as a target for Ferrari – an operation that has twice attempted to hire him.

However, reports that he was poised to walk out of Red Bull Racing appear to be wide of the mark, and the team itself has issued a denial of sorts.

“Adrian is contracted until at least the end of 2025,” a spokesperson confirmed.

“We are unaware of him joining any other team.”

The statement doesn't address the prospect of Newey stepping away from F1 on a sabbatical or retirement.

For now, the Englishman continues to work for Red Bull Racing and is active in his role within the team. He will travel to Miami next weekend and sit on the pit wall as normal.

Newey's contribution to any team next season will be prized, given the introduction of new aerodynamic and power unit regulations for 2026.

That promises to be another aero-dominated era, as efficiency will be a critical factor with increased reliance on electrical power and moveable aerodynamic devices.

Under the regulations, teams are not permitted to begin work on the 2026 car until the start of next year.

Newey has proven to be a master of aerodynamics over the years, underscoring that with the RB19's performance last year, a car that won all but one race—the most dominant performance of any car or team in F1 history.